Rotary internal-combustion engine.



A. E. & W. PAINTER.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

APPLICATION FlLE D JUNE 30. 1916.

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A. E. e w.- PAINTER. I ROTARY INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 30 I916.

, Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

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q vi/bwmw '51 New! 243 ALBERT E. PAINTER AND WATEBFIELD PAINTER, OF REIIO, NEVADA.

' :sorenv iN'rEnNAL-comsus'rmn ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 191 '7.

Application filed June 80, 1916. Serial No. 106,883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT E. PAINTER and lVA'rnnrmLn PAINTER, citizensof the United States, residing at Reno, in the county of VVashoe andState of Nevada,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Internal-CombustionEngines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, theobjectin view being to produce a simple and compact engine employing incombination with a stationary member formed with, an annular combustionchamber and a segmental compression chamber, a rotary member arranged atone side of the stationary member and carrying laterally slidableabutments which operate within the compression and combustion chambersin such manner that the explosive mixture is compressed by being forcedand transferred from the large central chamber of the stationary memberthrough a pass into the combustion chamber in which it is ignitedthereby expanding and driving the movable abutment ina circular patharound and within the combustion chamber.

A further object of the invention is to' provide means to compensate forexpansion of the metal parts whlch may occur when the engine becomesheated after continued operation and under adverse atmosphericconditions.

With the above and other objects in view,

" the invention consists in the novel construcsages.

Fig. 3 is a diametrical section through the engine.

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the compensating means.

The main stationary and rotary parts of the engine are indicatedrespectively at 1 and 2, said members being substantially circular ordisk-like and arranged side by side, the meeting faces of the members 1and 2 fitting closely togetheralong the line 3 in Fig. 3. The stationarymember, or what may be termed the. casing of the englue, is providedwith an enlarged supporting base 4. v

In. Fig. 1, which represents an inside face view of the stationarymember or casing 1, it will be observed that said member is formed withan annular channel adjacent to the outer margin thereof constituting acombustion chamber 5. At the outer and inner sides of the combustionchamber 5,

the member 1 is formed with concentric-annular grooves 6 to receivepacking rings 7 for the purpose of holding compression. Each of therings 7 is preferably of the split resilient type. The rotary member orrotor 2 is likewise provided with annual concentric grooves. 8 toreceive the opposite lateral portions of the same packing rings 7 whenthe two members 1 and 2 are placed together in the relation illustratedin Fig. 3.

The stationary member 1 is also formed with a compression" chamber 9substantially semi-circular as shown in Fig. 1 and terminating ininclines 10 which lead to and from an abutment retracting; surface 11which is flush with the meeting face of the sections 1 and 2. Thestationary member 1 is provided at a suitable point in the length of thecombustion chamber 5 with a stationary abutment 12 having an inclinedsurface upon which the power-abutment rides once in each revolution ofthe rotor or rotary member 2. 13 represents a spark plug entering thecombustion chamber 5, and H the exhaust port which leads out through theperiphery of the stationary member 1.

The rotor 2 is mounted transversely movable on a sliding key way 38 onthe engine shaft 15, the latter beingfournaled in suitable bearings (notshown The shaft 15 also passes through a central opening 16 in thestationary member 1 and is formed with a longitudinal bore 17 foradmitting the explosive mixture to the engine. A passage 18 leads fromthe bore of the shaft l5-to an chamber 5. It is to be understood thatthe meeting face of the rotor is flat or plane with the exception of theseveral ports just referred to and the guide ways 23 and 2% for thepower abutment 25 and the compressing abutment 26, respectively, andconcentric annular grooves S. The compressing abutment 26 is pressedinto the compression chamber 9 of the stationary member 1 by means ofone or more backing springs 27 and the power abutment 25 is pressedtoward and into the combustion chamber 5 by means of one or more backingsprings 28. The member 2 is formed with offset chambers 29 and 30 toadmitwof the movement of the abutments 25 and 26 transversely withrespect to the members 1 and 2.

In order to provide for expansion in case of the heating of the engine,we employ the compensating means illustrated in detail in Fig. 5,wherein itwill be seen that the rotor 2 is' provided with a sliding keyway allow- I ing rotor 2 to move transversely on shaft 15 and near thecenter of its outside face with a circular bearing face 3l. \Vorkingincontact therewith 1s a thrust collar 32 which 15 pressed against thecollar 31 by means of a, coiled expansion spring 33 interposed lie--bear against the outer ,face of the collar 34.'

In case of excessive expansion of the metal parts due to heat, the rotor2 is thus enabled to yield away from the stationary member 1 while atthe same time the rings '7 hold compression, and suitable stuflingmaterial used where rotor 2 slides transversely on shaft 15 to preventleakage at that point.

In order to supplyexplosive mixture to the engine, a stationary supplypipe 37 is connected to the outer end 'of the engine shaft 15 by meansof a union 38 containing leakage at that point.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying draw ings, the operation of the engine willnow beunderstood to be as follows: The transsuitable stufiing material whichwill prevent versely slidable and spring-pressed abutment 26, in movingin its circular path,

passes from the surface 11 into one end of the compression chamber 9thereby drawing in explosive mixture through the port 19, passage 18 andthe bore 17 of the shaft 15. At the same time the charge of explosivemixture which was previously drawn in as just described and is ahead ofthe compression abutment 26, isforced thereby in the course of itsrotation through port 21, passage 20 and port 22 into explosion chamber5, and when port 21 is closed by passing from chamber 9 to surface 11,then or thereafter the mixture is exploded by spark at burned gasesahead of the power abutment 25 are forced outwardly through the exhaustport M by the scavenging action of said'powerabutment 25. The abutment25 then rides upwardly on the inclined surface of the stationaryabutment 12 and is a' ain pressed into the, combustion chamber 0 by thesprings behind said. abutment. Thereformin each complete revolution ofthe enginc, the compressingabutment 26 moves throughmlt the entirelength of thecompression chamber, drawing in one charge of mixture andforcing another charge into the combustion chamber, in the samerevolution', the power abutment 25 makes one completecircuitbf thecombustion chamber 5, being propelled bythe expansion of the explosivemixture and actingvto scavenge the burned gases in advance thereof. Anycooling and lubricating system'may be employed in connection with theengine, and it will also be understood that the parts hereinabovedescribed constitute merely one power unit, it being perfectly feasibleto employ as many of such power units as may be need-' ed in combinationwith a common engine shaft. F or example, two rotors may, be used inconnection with a centrala interventhe engine already described on thereverse side of stationary member 1 on the same shaft, and in the eventtwo rotors areused on stationary member 1 they oshduld be one-I halfrevolution ahead of each other, and compresslon chamber 9 of the secondrotor wouldlbe opposite surface 11 of the first rotor, giving acontinuous working explosion, and ,rotors balancing each other.

'lla-sc and other changes in the'forin, preportion and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

lVc claim:

1. An engine embodying in combination with a supporting base, astationary member. and a rotor arranged'side by side and both ofcircular formation, the rotor being provided with a plane inner face,and the stationary member being formed in its inner face with an annularcombustion chamber ing stationary member 1, by duplicating" and anarcuate compression chamber, a stamixture, and the rotor being formedwith a passage leading from the bore of said shaft to a port in theinner face of the rotor, and also formed with a passage havinginlet andoutlet oritiees arranged respectively to communicate with thecon'ipressiou and combustion chambers.

V 2. .\n engine embodying in combination with a supporting base. astationary member. and a .rotor arranged side by side and both ofcircular formation. the rotor being 'provided with a plane inner face,and the stationary member being formed in its inner t'aee with anannular eombustion chamber and an arcuate compression ehainbelr, astationary abutment in the combustion chamher having an inclined face. apower abutment slidable trmisversely of and carried by the rotor andworking in said combustion chamber. a compressing abutment slidabletransversely of the rotor and working in said compression chamber. atubular engine shaft on which said rotor is mounted movabletransversely, said tubular shaft forming an intake conduit for theexplosive mixture, and the rotor being formed with a passage leadingfrom the bore of said shaft to a port in the inner face ofthe rotor, andalso formed with a passage having inlet, and outlet orifices arrangedrespectively to (omu1unicate with the compression and combus t onclnuubers. and compression retaining rings concentric with said shaft,arranged at the outer and inner sides of the combustion chamber, andworking in annular grooves in the meeting faces of the stationary memberand rotor.

3. An engine embodying in combination with a supporting base, astationary mem-. her and av rotor arranged side by side and both ofcircular formation, the rotor being provided with a plane inner face,and the stationary member being formed in its inner thee. with anannular combustion chamber and an areuate compression chamber, astationary abutment inthe combustion chamliei-:'..-li:i\-'iiig,.aninclined face. a power abutment sli'dable transversely ofand carried bythe rotor and working in'said combustion chamber, a compressing abutmentslidable transversely of the rotor and working in said compressionchamber, a tubular engine shaft on which said rotor is mounted movabletransversely, said tubular shaft forming an intake conduit for theexplosive mixture. and the rotor being formed with a passage leadingfrom the bore, of said shaft to a port in the inner face of the rotor,and also formed with a passage having inlet and 'outletoritices arrangedrespectively to comunmieate with the compression and combustionchambers. compression retaining rings -eoneentric with said shaft,arranged at the outer and inner sides of the combustion chamber. andworking in annular grooves in the meeting faces of the stationarymemberand the rotor, and expansion compensating means for holding therotor yieldingly against the stationary member.

-t. An engine embodying in combination with a supporting base, astationary member and a rotor arranged side by side and both.-

of circular formation, the rotor being provided with a plane inner face.and the stationary member being formed in its inner face with an annularcombustion chamber and an' areuate compression chamber, a stationaryabutment in the combustion chamher having an inclined face, a powerabutment slidable transversely of and carried by the rotor and Workingin said combustion ehamber. a compressing abutment slidable transverselyof the rotor and Working in said compression chamber, a tubular engineshaft on which said rotor is mounted movable transversely. said tubularshaft form ing an intake conduitfor the explosive mixture. and the rotorbeing formed With a passage leading from the bore of said shaft to avport in the inner face of the rotor, and

also formed with a passage having inlet and. outlet orifices arrangedrespectively to communicate with the compression and combustionehambers.compression retaining rings port for release of burned gas.-

In testimony whereof We atiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.-

ALBERT E. PAINTER. WATER-FIELD PAINTER.

Witnesses:

R. W. POOLE, J. B. DIXON.

